Invalid s coach



4 Sheets-Sheet 1..

(No Model.)

R. R. BENNETT.

INVALIDS UOAGH.

No. 518,831. Patented Apr. 24, 1894.

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(No Model.) 4 She etsSheet 2.

R. R. BENNETT. INVALID'S COACH.

No. 518,831. Patented Apr. 24,1894.

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(No Model.) 4 SheetsSheet 3.

R. R. BENNETT. INVALIDS OOAGH.

No. 518,831. Patented Apr, 24, 1894.

4 She'ets-'-Sheet 4.

(N o Model.)

- R. R. BENNETT.

INVALIDS COACH.

No. 518,831. Patented Apr.. 24, 1894."

E Ion/u. umcammma comuuv UNITED STATES ATENT INVALIDS COACH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 518,831, dated April 24,1894. Application filed October a, 1893. Serial No.48'7,320. (N model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, RULOFF R. BENNETT, a citizen of the United States, residing 'in Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Invalids Coaches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists broadly in adopting an ordinary coach or closed carriage to the use of an ambulance, whereby, when it is so desired, the vehicle can be employed for the one at the front and one at the rear, as will viding a frame approximately of the same length as the interior of the coach or carriage and of half the interior width thereof. Isupport said frame by suitable means from the bottom of the coach, which supports being made to swing laterally and having trackways and anti-friction rollers, and being combined with the bed arranged to travel longitudinally thereon, the coach or carriage having at its rear end an opening large enough for the insertion of the body of the occupant and the parts being so arranged that when the body is being inserted .in the coach, the trackwa-ys will occupy an approximately central longitudinal position. relatively to the coach, and will be adapted when the body has been placed in its proper position within the coach, to be shifted downwardly and to one side thereof, so as to expose upon the other side the seats and a sufficient portion thereof to provide for at least two passengers,

be explained.

Referring to the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification: Figure I represents a longitudinal vertical section of my improved coach or carriage showing t-heapparatus in position and the body in the process of introduction. Fig. II represents a similarview showing the body in position within the coach and the rear .apparatus of the coach closed. Fig. Ill represents a plan view of my invention. Fig. IV represents a vertical cross section and Fig. V is a detail View.

In the drawings, A represents the frame or body of the coach or carriage having at its rear end a door B. The door B is hinged at C tothe frame of the vehicle and is provided with a window D, at the side of which are located lugs E. Hinged to these lugs are supporting brackets F one of said brackets being arranged on each side of the door and having means of attachment to secure the door B in the elevated position as shown in Fig. I. The brackets are provided at their lower ends with hooks f and the door frame B. is provided with corresponding opening I). When the door is to be raised the hooks f are inserted in the openings 19 of the frame and the door is temporarily and securely locked in the elevated position pending the removal or introduction of the invalid. When. the door is closed as shown in Fig. II, the brackets may be secured by the small rubber holders e, and the door locked in its closed position by means of the swivel finger piece e. To afford a better and nicer fit of this door between it and the contiguous frame-work I provide bevel portions G as shown in Fig. III and by this means I secure practically a dust and noise proof joint.

1 will now proceed to describe the more particular part of my invention, to wit: the bed or litter, its method of support, and the means for providing for its longitudinal travel within the coach. This bed or litter is shown in the drawings at H and it consists of a rectangular couch and immediately beneath it is provided a complementary frame provided with transversely arranged rollers beneath and over which the bed or litter is arranged and adapted to travel longitudinally in the coach and through the rear end thereof, as will be explained. This frame is shown at J and the rollers at j. The frame J is mounted on brackets K shown in the vertical cross-section, Fig. IV, and more particularly in detail in Fig. V. These brackets are fixedly secured to the frame J and extend downwardly and are provided with links L, swiv- The links L are pivoted to the bracketsM at points M. g

The object of the brackets and of the connecting links is to afford means for turning the bed supporting frame .I in such a manner that as it moves transversely in the coach it will be lifted as by an eccentric so that when it assumes a position approximately ce utral as shown in Fig. IV it will be somewhat elevated and while in such a position will be locked from further transverse movement in the bracket by reason of the pins L and N having reached the ends of their respective slots; so also when the frame and the bed supported thereon is moved transversely in the opposite direction it will descend slightly until itrcaches the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. IV, where it will be held and retained by reason of the pins L'and N reaching the other ends of the slots and by this means locking it from further transverse movement in that direction.

The advantages secured by making bed carrying frame transversely as well as vertically shiftable are as follows: In the first place I am enabled to so construct the coach or carriage that the point of separation between the lower edge of the door B and the main body of the coach will lie above the point where this portion of the carriage frame begins to curve inwardly and under the coach so that the door B will be made entirely out of the straight portion of the back. If the bed carrying shiftable frame were not elevated somewhat for the purpose of receiving the bed it would be necessary to cut away a large portion of this curved surface of the coach which from a structural and artistic standpoint would be highly undesirable. Again, it is of great importance that the movement of the bed supporting frame should be a swinging rather than a mere horizontal sliding action for the reason that otherwise it would be necessary to provide a frame which would extend normally into the passage way between the seats of the coach thereby interfering with the space allotted for other passengers and it would also entail undesirable wear and tear on the upholstered cushions of the coach proper. It will be seen from the above reasons that the lifting and swinging movement of the bed frame is highly desirable and in fact absolutely necessary to produce an available structure. The construction is also desirable because the swinging movement which I have described and which moves the bed frame transversely of the coach when assuming its operative position for the reception of the bed or litter, is easier to manipulate than a direct vertical movement would be, and for this reason in connection with the other reasons heretofore given I provide an upward and transversely swinging movement for the bed supporting frame. The comfort of the vehicle can be further increased by placing rubber tires R on the wheels.

Having thus described my invention, the following is what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A coach or carriage for invalids having a rear aperture provided with a suitable door, a bed supporting frame arranged within the coach substantially as shown and described, a bed or litter supported by said frame and means for shifting the said bed and its supporting frame transversely of the coach, all arranged and adapted to operate substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. An invalids coach or carriage having an aperture for the insertion of the bed or litter and provided with a swinging door as shown, in combination with the bed or litter and a longitudinally arranged bed supporting frame arranged to be moved transversely of the coach, with seats for passengers on the sides of the coach opposite to the litter when the latter is in its normal position.

RULOFF R. BENNETT.

Witnesses:

HENRY F. DONALDSON, Gno. M. NAUGHTON. 

